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Published: March 6th 2009
Sunset 7
Messing with the rock25 Feb
Got up at 5am to go see the rock change colour at dawn (it didn’t).
Due to extreme temperatures and also high winds at the top, the climb to the top of Uluru (Ayres Rock) was closed. I did say 18 years ago that I wouldn’t climb it again for £1,000,000 so I was quite relieved - but Barry wanted another go! We did walk around the bottom though - which is 10km plus a few more in detours to look at rock paintings etc. Took us 3 hours - and there was hardly any shade! Went to the sunset lookout to see it change colour - and it didn’t (just like it didn’t 18 years ago!) Had some fun with two Swiss girls taking silly photos though.
26 Feb
Missed the sunrise today, too knackered from yesterday. Walked around The Olgas in the morning. Really, really hot today. The rocks were impressive but you just couldn’t stop and take it all in, all you wanted was some shade and a long cold drink. Long drive to Kings Canyon. Sitting in the campsite when dingo wandered in. Wouldn’t argue with those teeth. Very hot & sunny but a
OlgasVallyofthewinds 4
Valley of the winds, The Olgas lot more cloud today which gave a lovely sunset. The rocks of the canyon positively glowed a fabulous orange/red like they had been lit up by floodlights. Uluru probably looked like that today too - bum!
Too much sun today, had a mild case of heatstroke in the night and had to spend some time under a cold shower and wedged against the air conditioning unit in the van.
27 Feb
Felt better today, so went for a stroll along the canyon (the rim walk was closed due to extreme heat). The flies here are terrible. They get everywhere you have moisture. In your eyes, up your nose, around your lips and they buzz continuously in your ears. We have fashionable hats with nets attached and we have really had to wear them the last few days. (you can tell the tourists - they are the ones with the trendy hats!) Makes it difficult to eat and drink though .
Heading back South now - had enough of the heat and the flies, though the weather forecast for Adelaide is worse than here!.
28Feb
Back to Cooper Pedy and the Old Timers Mine - what a great place.
KingsCanyonDingo 4
Dingo at the campsite They were building another bedroom (underground) and accidentally broke into this old mine. You can still see the opal seam in the wall, but presumably tourist dollars are more plentiful, so they opened it to the public instead. Had a great chat with the lady in the attached shop, who really knew about opals and mining. Couldn’t stay in the advertised “Underground Caravan Park” as they don’t allow vehicles underground - so it isn’t an underground caravan park at all!(very disappointing).
1-2March
Stopped in Port Augusta - great little town, crossroads to everywhere. There were trains and cars all going in a variety of directions all across Australia! Not many stopped, but we did, we liked it here. We had a great pitch overlooking the river estuary and the mountain ranges (and the railway shunting yard!) Longest trains in the world I reckon - at least a couple of kilometres.
3-4 March
Wilpena, Flinders Ranges. Fab - camped in a forest with kangaroos everywhere (the rain brought them out) and we counted 39 on a 10km stretch of road - managed to miss them all! We went for a great 10km walk into Wilpena Pound -which is a
natural ‘corral’ surrounded by mountains.
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